Season 58 Finals Game 3...Dallas at Philadelphia

PHILADELPHIA 76, DALLAS 55 (Slaughter Rule Enforced) Philly leads series 2-1

CHAMPS ON RUBBER LEGS

PHILADELPHIA -- The Philadelphia Phobia are one game away from their 17th MBA championship and first in 15 seasons after using their smothering defense to defeat the six-time defending titlists from Dallas, 76-55.

After winning Game 2 with a 77-point output and starting this game with a 22-point first-quarter, the Demons looked like they may have solved the league's top defense. But in the three quarters that followed, the Phobia allowed Dallas just 12, 11 and 10 points as they ratcheted the defensive pressure. When the smoke cleared, Philly had flustered their worthy opponent into 38.2 percent shooting and technically, a Slaughter Rule victory, achieved with 1 time unit remaining in the contest.

The two Dallas forwards who had combined for 42 points in the previous outing, were held to 14, while Philadelphia used a balanced offensive attack to slowly lower the boom.

The home team carried a 10-point lead going into the final quarter, then pulled away with a 9-0 run to start the fourth, set off by a 3-point bomb by guard Tut Ankhamum on the first time unit. 

The lone bright spot for Dallas was the play of Hall of Fame guard Juzan Djinn, who led all scorers with 20 points.

The one hope Dallas can cling to is that the home team has won every game in the Finals thus far, with the next contest in The Big D.

PLAYER OF THE GAME

29 GVP...For the second game in a row, a Philadelphia veteran rose up to record the first triple-double of their career. This time it was sixth-year center BLOB DYLAN turning the trickwith a 16-point, 8-rebound, 5-block performance that saw him dominate this season's All-MBA pivot, Poop-Rupiah 3000.  

With this performance, his second POG of the playoffs, Dylan's hat is in the ring for Playoff MVP. The 6-11 center was shut out on the boards in the previous game, but rallied to grab a game-high (tied) 8 boards in this victory. He was 8 for 12 from the floor with a slam, but it was his defense that set the tone as he blocked a game-high 5 shots, holding 3000 to 4 of 12 shooting and just 8 points.

Other 20-plus GVP performers

25 GVP...Dallas Hall of Fame guard Juzan Djinn...20 points (4 treys)...2 rebounds...2 assists...1 block

24 GVP...Philadelphia point guard Tut "the Pharoah" Ankhamun...19 points (3 treys)...5 assists.

24 GVP...Philadelphia's MVP forward Leonard Pinth Garnel...9 points...8 rebounds...4 assists...2 blocks...1 steal.

23 GVP...Philadelphia power forward Philibuck Davia...16 points...6 rebounds...1 assist. 

NEXT UP: The Finals return to Dallas, where the Demons look to force a Game 5.

A LOOK BACK

OTHER TWO TIMES THESE TEAMS MET IN FINALS…SEASONS 22 AND 23 (CALENDAR YEAR WAS 2007 AND 2008)

Season 22

Philadelphia won 3 games to 1

Playoff MVP was the great Curly Hogbottom of Philadelphia (20.5 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 8 blocks, 70.7 shooting pctg, 2 POGs

Philadelphia forward Cam Bodia earned Hall of Fame status

 

Season 23

Philadelphia wins 3 games to 1

Playoff MVP was Dallas Hall of Fame guard Joey Two Tones (19.2 ppg, 9 steals, 10 blocked shots, 78.6 percent from 3 with 11 made

Two-Tones made the Hall of Fame thanks to his MVP honor in his sixth and final season. He scored 25 points in his final game, an overtime loss.